Forecasters say Hurricane Katia has formed in the Atlantic Ocean but that it is too early to know if it will threaten land.

WPTV NewsChannel 5

Hurricane Katia's forecast track

Stormpulse.com

City

Average high

Record high

Vero Beach

90

94 (1989)

Fort Pierce

90

96 (1998)

Port St. Lucie

89

95 (1986)

Stuart

89

95 (1986)

Katia was downgraded to a tropical storm Thursday afternoon as it continues on a projected northwesterly path from its current center about 2,500 miles southeast of Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center's noon advisory.

As of 11 p.m. Thursday, it had 70 mph winds and was moving at 16 mph, a speed that should move it to about 380 miles northeast of Puerto Rico by Monday evening, forecasters say. Most current tracking models suggest it will eventually curve north and not be a threat to Florida, forecasters say. However, by early next week, ocean swells from it could hit the Treasure Coast's beaches and increase the chances of rip currents.

The storm lost strength after being attacked by wind shear and dry air on Thursday afternoon.

However, the National Hurricane Center says it's only a temporary setback, and Katia likely will return to hurricane strength within the next day.

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression 13 formed Thursday evening in the central Gulf of Mexico.

At 11 p.m., it was 225 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, slowly moving northwest at 2 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 35 mph, and the storm was forecast to drench the North Gulf Coast, including the New Orleans area.

A tropical storm warning was posted from Pascagoula, Miss., west to Sabine Pass, Texas, including the city of New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

As for the Treasure Coast, its current rain chances are low, around 30 percent, on Friday.

The weekend outlook is for rain chances of 40 to 50 percent on Saturday and Monday. Sunday's chances are 20 percent.

Daily high temperatures are to stay around 90 degrees and overnight lows should be in the mid to lower 70s. Winds should be 10 mph or less.